IED - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Director
• Partner

Ben Pretty is a Partner in Cushman & Wakefield's Development Team, with over 15 years' consultancy experience. He commenced his career at Deloitte and joined DTZ (now Cushman & Wakefield) in 2013 from an economic development/regeneration consultancy practice. He is a Chartered Surveyor and has an MSc in Urban Regeneration. Ben is based in Leeds but has a lead role C&W's Economic Development and Appraisal work nationally, particularly with Local Enterprise Partnerships and Combined Authorities. His particular expertise is in developing and appraising the case for public sector intervention in land, property and infrastructure schemes and he has successfully secured public funding for a number of flagship physical regeneration and economic development projects across the UK. He is a retained advisor to public and private sector clients and is currently advising Homes England on a number of large-scale residential schemes. Ben has been a member of the IED for over 10 years and is committed to enhance its profile and reach and the benefits that it delivers to its members.

Job Titles:

• Chairman
• CEO of the YTKO Group
• Director and past Chair

Bev is CEO of the YTKO Group, and brings 30 years of first hand business expertise to the IED board. Prior to leading YTKO to a 100+ employee business, she built three successful small companies. Alongside its commercial work, the Group delivers a significant amount of public sector start-up, growth and access to finance projects for local authorities and LEPs across the UK. These have enabled the growth of over 20,000 businesses and the creation of over 10,000 new jobs for the UK economy. In addition to her direct experience, this wealth of successful practitioner delivery, coupled with a deep understanding of local, regional and national economic development challenges, enables Bev to provide a range of perspectives to the board and its membership. She has also grown two very successful membership networks, Norfolk Network and Enterprising Women, and is one of the UK experts on gender entrepreneurship. A UK Female Enterprise Ambassador, speaker, and angel investor, Bev has a number of private and public sector non-executive directorships, joining the IED Board in 2011. She holds the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion, and was awarded a CBE in 2014. After serving two years as Vice Chair of the IED, Bev became Chair of the IED in November 2016, standing down at the end of her term in December 2022. Bev remains on the Board as a Director for a further term of office.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Head of Economics and Economic Development

Dave is Head of Economics and Economic Development at AECOM. He leads a team of 20 Economic Development Professionals and has over 20 years' experience of working in economic development and regeneration. Dave has extensive experience in local, city and regional economies and specialises in developing economic development strategies, impact assessments and case making for road, rail and other infrastructure investments. He has been a Technical Lead on several major infrastructure projects across the UK - Crossrail 2, High Speed 2 Phases 1 & 2B, Bakerloo Line Upgrade & Extension and Oxford Cambridge Arc. Dave is also a regular contributor to panel discussions and a presenter at events and forums on economic development and regeneration matters.

Job Titles:

• Director

Jo is currently an Economic Development Manager at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. She has nearly 15 years professional experience across various sectors including financial services, business support and energy. Her experience spans across private and public sector, social economy and higher education. She was awarded her PhD in 2019 which looked at the roles of social enterprises in wider system transformation. Her PhD, along with diverse professional background gives her a holistic view of the complexities and interdependencies that exist within Economic Development. She prides herself on being able to translate strategic vision into action. Jo is passionate about reducing inequalities, inspiring the next generation of economic development professionals and driving best practice across the sector.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Employment and Skills

An Economic Development practitioner for over a decade, Greg has also held a variety of other development roles including Sport; Community; and Education. In his roles as an Economic Development ‘generalist' Greg's experience has encompassed a broad range of disciplines from Inward Investment, Town Centre Regeneration, Employment initiatives, promoting the Visitor Economy and Business Support. In Greg's post as Principal Regeneration Officer at North Northamptonshire Council the priority continues to be the successful delivery of projects from Local Area Action Plans and the promotion of Strategic Employment Sites within the local area. Greg's previous work includes co-authoring a ‘Better Business for All' Toolkit published on GOV.UK, design and launch of a LEP Growth Hub website, contributing to a number of publications beginning with the ‘No Stone Unturned' Review by Lord Heseltine and showcasing the Oxford - Cambridge Arc at successive MIPIM events. Whilst working at South Northants Council Greg co-led an Economic Development Unit comprising 13 specialist and multi-disciplinary ED Officers as part of a shared management arrangement with Cherwell District Council over a 3-year period. To back up his experience Greg holds an ILM Level 5 in Leadership and Management and the Institute of Directors Certificate in Company Direction. In his spare time Greg is a health and fitness enthusiast who enjoys the challenge of a ‘long Sunday morning run' or a ‘high intensity' weights session in the gym.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Fellow

Jon has over 20 years' experience in economic development and related place-shaping fields. He is currently Strategic Director Economy at Hammersmith & Fulham Council. Before joining Hammersmith & Fulham Council, Jon was Deputy Director for Regional Economic Development at the Scottish Government and has also headed the Scottish Government's economic engagement in London. Prior to joining the Scottish Government, Jon was the Deputy Director, Capital Investment at the Department for International Trade and the COO of UKTI's Regeneration Investment Organisation, helping to attract institutional investment into large-scale property and infrastructure developments. Previously, Jon led the 2014 UK Assisted Areas Review for BIS and was the Homes and Communities Agency's strategic lead for the Thames Gateway, Europe's largest regeneration project. Jon began his career in consultancy, working at Halcrow Group, Cushman and Wakefield, and Colin Buchanan. In addition to being a Fellow of the IED, Jon is a Chartered Economic Geographer and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; he read geography at the Universities of Bristol and Manchester. Jon is an avid Manchester City fan and his interests include urban histories, cycling and walking.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Executive Director of Sheffield City Council

Kate became Executive Director of Sheffield City Council in March 2022. She leads the City Futures Portfolio for Sheffield, the fourth largest city in the UK, and is the lead senior sponsor of the Future Sheffield transformation programme. Kate is also the lead for the Sheffield Place Partnerships with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and a member of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone Partnership, the first IZ in the UK. Kate is a nationally-recognised specialist in local government, place-shaping growth and investment and public service transformation. She has over 23 years of local government leadership experience and was previously Executive Director for Southampton City Council, leading the City Place Portfolio, and formerly a Director for London Borough of Camden, London Borough of Brent and Wolverhampton City Councils. Kate is Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Growth Board for the UK Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) and professionally is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing (FCIH), a Member of the Institute of Economic Development (MIED), an Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (ARICS) and an Advisory Board Member to Sheffield Business School. Kate was elected to the IED Board as a Director in December 2023.

Job Titles:

• Director

Lawrence was Chief Executive of South Lakeland District Council from October 2010 until March 2023, and is now working as an independent consultant. He has worked within the public sector since 1998, at both District and Unitary Councils. Lawrence spent the previous 15 years in private sector employment, working in the following disciplines:- logistics, finance, change management and environmental services within large national and multi-national companies. He is lead Officer for Economic growth for the District Council Network (DCN). Lawrence is a 2016 post graduate of the University of Oxford Said Business school, where he studied "Strategy and Innovation" in a global context. Lawrence is keen to ensure that a future UK Industrial Strategy has the substance and structure to deliver growth and prosperity that benefits both the nation, our communities at a local level, and the most vulnerable in our society. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his young family.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Socio - Economic Data Analysis

Lorna is a marketing and rural economic development consultant based in Dumfries with a keen interest in purpose-driven enterprise and community-led development. She is a former board member of South of Scotland Economic Partnership - the precursor organisation to South of Scotland Enterprise - where she was joint-lead on business support development. Lorna has worked with regional and Scottish organisations on food, drink and tourism development and has supported efficacy of local authority programme delivery through interface provision and communication services. She has works with several economically disadvantaged communities - using place-branding as a lever for local confidence and capacity building - and she supports business owners in south west Scotland and Northern Ireland with marketing-led business development. Lorna has a post-grad certificate in Sustainable Rural Development from University of Highlands and Islands, a family background in accidental entrepreneurship and an unrelenting optimism in the potential of business as force for good.

Job Titles:

• Director

Mark Livesey joined the LEP Network in December 2019 from Cheshire and Warrington LEP, where he held the joint role of Chief Executive Marketing Cheshire and Deputy Chief Executive Cheshire and Warrington LEP. Mark joined the LEP in July 2016 from the Department for Communities and Local Government. His civil service career included serving as the Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords and successive housing and planning ministers. During his civil service career, Mark was also responsible for Coastal Communities, High Streets and Town Centres, during which time he set up and launched the Great British Coast brand, the Great British High Street brand and launched the national Great British High Streets competition.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Managing Director and Chief Economist at Deyton Bell

Neil is Managing Director and Chief Economist at Deyton Bell and has worked in economic development across public, private and government sectors for the past 30 years. Before joining Deyton Bell, Neil completed a successful period as the Chief Executive of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership. Prior to this Neil has held a number of economic development roles across public and private sectors. Neil's experience has been gained in complex, multiple stakeholder environments across the UK and working with partners across Europe. He has led projects with partners across all continents, with particular expertise in: leading and managing broad services, including refocusing organisations and success in delivering new strategic plans; sourcing funding for both individual businesses and for public sector infrastructure; strategy design and managing delivery in complex public-private sector environments; ensuring high quality outcome-focused delivery; and supporting business growth and attracting inward investment Neil has a strong reputation across public, private and government sectors and is known for his strategic thinking and ability to convert this into high-quality delivery.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director
• Economist
• Managing Director of the Economic Development Consultancy Mickledore Ltd
• Member of the Institute

Nigel is Managing Director of the economic development consultancy Mickledore Ltd. and has 20 years experience in regeneration and economic development and was previously Regional Development Director for Ernst & Young. Prior to Ernst & Young, Nigel worked for the North West Development Agency and Deloitte. Nigel is a graduate economist and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. His experience is in leading large scale regeneration and economic development projects and he has done this both nationally and internationally. In the UK he has worked on assignments across every region as well as advising national government. Nigel has a particular specialism in European State Aid and also advises corporate clients on public sector funding opportunities. Nigel has been a member of the Institute since 2006; became Chair of the North West Branch of the IED in 2006 and was elected as a national Director in October 2010. Since December 2014, Nigel has been Executive Director of the IED.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Is Director

Rebekah is Director (Town Centres & Economic Regeneration) at leading UK commercial and residential real estate consultancy and agency Lambert Smith Hampton. In her role, Rebekah works with public sector organisations to ensure their estate is aligned to their business plan and corporate needs, provides business case development and funding applications (to government and internally), and advises on general accommodation and estate strategy matters. She supports local authorities, central government, NHS Foundation Trusts, police forces, and other public sector organisations. Rebekah moved to Lambert Smith Hampton in 2017 after more than eight years with Cushman & Wakefield's public sector advisory team, covering central government, local government, healthcare, bluelight services and education. During this time she was also seconded to The Home Office assisting in writing the National Estate Strategy. Overall, Rebekah has 14 years' experience in economic regeneration. She has been an IED Director since February 2023.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Director in the Economics Team at Pegasus Group
• Economic Development and the Planning System

Richard is a director in the economics team at Pegasus Group, an independent consultancy specialising in planning, design, environment, economics and heritage. He has more than 18 years' experience of working in economic development, with expertise in undertaking economic impact assessments and socio-economic analysis. Richard is based in Manchester but works across the country helping to make the case for different types of development. This includes residential, extra care and student accommodation schemes. Richard also has extensive experience of making the economic case for commercial development, which often includes highlighting the benefits that office, industrial and warehousing developments can generate in an area. Prior to joining Pegasus Group, Richard worked for New Economy Manchester in the research & strategy team, which is now part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. He has been a member of the IED since 2016 and is committed to helping it to maintain its position as the leading economic development body in the UK.

Job Titles:

• Chairman
• Chief Executive of Salford City Council

Tom Stannard became Chief Executive of Salford City Council in 2021. He supports the directly elected City Mayor, delivering local public services and improving the lives of Salford's fast growing and diverse 260,000 population, leading an organisation of over 3,000 staff, with a net revenue budget of £220M and a capital investment programme of £115M p/a. Salford is a major driver of the growth of Greater Manchester, a key member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and partner in the £8BN+ GMCA devolution programme. He is a nationally recognised specialist in local government, public service reform and delivering inclusive economic growth. Tom's professional background is in regeneration, economic development and skills. From 2018-21 he was Wakefield Council's Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Growth, a key member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in one of the fastest growing economies within the Leeds City Region, the UK's biggest economic area outside London. His previous career roles include Director of Economy and Skills at Oldham Council in Greater Manchester, Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Learning and Work Institute, and senior leadership in high performing Councils across the UK - Blackburn with Darwen (Lancashire), the London Borough of Hounslow, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He has extensive professional experience in political environments, supporting elected Members and politicians of all parties successfully at local, regional and national levels. Tom is a Chartered Surveyor, a Member and Chair of the UK Institute of Economic Development (MIED), and a Board Director and Trustee of the Manchester-based Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES). For a number of years he has been a member, policy lead and spokesperson for SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives), currently on infrastructure and planning. Tom became Chair of the IED in December 2022, to read the press release about his appointment as Chair, please click here.